The Twangout: Like Robin Hood, Only Somehow More Gay. And Merry.

[polobunny]

I don't know. It should be as easy as saying you're a guy, but it's just not. There's all sorts of stupid baggage attached to being a girl online. I know, I've directly experienced some of it, especially in the wretched hive of scum and villainy that is free Phantasy Star Online. ^_~ There's a whole bunch of really nice guys around, but there's also a ridiculous amount of sleazebags. You can't avoid them offline, but I can see how it'd be easier just to hide your gender online, and thereby avoid the largest part of it. Yes you can just tell them to piss off. But you shouldn't have to... I can imagine it'd get pretty tiresome if you didn't have the trump card of 'Sorry, I'm a dude. ' to fall back on.

Besides, people should treat you the same regardless of your gender anyway. Sadly that'll never happen offline simply because people do make judgements, but it can happen online. That's the nice thing about the internet, all that really matters is your personality... People can't count anything else against you unless you hand it to them on a silver platter.

I think one the major reason why it isn't as easy comes from the fact that many girls will choose ambiguity, accentuating the effect of the "OH SHIT, ITS A GIRL, I LIKE BOOBS" phenomenon (that's the scientific name).

Besides frankly, there's creepos everywhere, whether you're a girl or a guy.
See, pussies.

[Sprung]

One of these days, I'm totally going to reveal that I've played you all for fools, and that this cutesy, idealistic, naive character is all just a ploy to achieve...some evil end...

But that day is not today, so...

This is Godbot, isn't it?

[Fer!]

I don't know. It should be as easy as saying you're a guy, but it's just not. There's all sorts of stupid baggage attached to being a girl online. I know, I've directly experienced some of it, especially in the wretched hive of scum and villainy that is free Phantasy Star Online. ^_~ There's a whole bunch of really nice guys around, but there's also a ridiculous amount of sleazebags. You can't avoid them offline, but I can see how it'd be easier just to hide your gender online, and thereby avoid the largest part of it. Yes you can just tell them to piss off. But you shouldn't have to... I can imagine it'd get pretty tiresome if you didn't have the trump card of 'Sorry, I'm a dude. ' to fall back on.

Besides, people should treat you the same regardless of your gender anyway. Sadly that'll never happen offline simply because people do make judgements, but it can happen online. That's the nice thing about the internet, all that really matters is your personality... People can't count anything else against you unless you hand it to them on a silver platter.

<3

[polobunny]

Eii? No, I really felt bad about the second guy. He was really nice... I just didn't know what to say. He had known me for a month, and clearly thought I was someone that I wasn't...

I was talking about the last part
Being yourself or not is your choice I guess, I firmly believe you end up hurting more people with the later than the former, and i'm not talking about the repercussions on yourself. Being honest with others, being honest with yourself. =]

One of these days, I'm totally going to reveal that I've played you all for fools, and that this cutesy, idealistic, naive character is all just a ploy to achieve...some evil end...

But that day is not today, so...

You will steal all the red smarties? You will change sugar cubes to sugar spheres by sanding them down?
Jeez, i'm scared shitless right now.

[Elin]

Or, you could simply not give a fuck. I forgot the internet is serious business.

Myaa, but it always has been serious business to me, and not in the sarcastic way. I figure everyone online is a real person. They might be different away from a computer, but unless they're some kind of highly sophisticated (or, in the case of GameFAQs members, moderately sophisticated ) bot, everyone here is still human. I wouldn't be horrible on a day to day basis with people, even assuming I could get away with it. So why here?

I take people just as seriously online as off. If they choose to take advantage of that, that's up to them. Naive? Maybe. But to me it's better than approaching everything with the same kind of...cold, indifferent detachedness that's so popular online. I'd rather just stick to being me, even if it means wearing my heart on my sleeve.

[Fer!]

Writing here is really slow:p

[polobunny]

Writing here is really slow:p

You are really slow.

[Tanthias]

Myaa, but it always has been serious business to me, and not in the sarcastic way. I figure everyone online is a real person. They might be different away from a computer, but unless they're some kind of highly sophisticated (or, in the case of GameFAQs members, moderately sophisticated ) bot, everyone here is still human. I wouldn't be horrible on a day to day basis with people, even assuming I could get away with it. So why here?

I take people just as seriously online as off. If they choose to take advantage of that, that's up to them. Naive? Maybe. But to me it's better than approaching everything with the same kind of...cold, indifferent detachedness that's so popular online. I'd rather just stick to being me, even if it means wearing my heart on my sleeve.

Aye. That's the best way to be in my opinion at least...

[Elin]

I was talking about the last part
Being yourself or not is your choice I guess, I firmly believe you end up hurting more people with the later than the former, and i'm not talking about the repercussions on yourself. Being honest with others, being honest with yourself. =]

But I was just being me. I never said I was a girl. I never said I was a boy, either, but it was his assumption. My account mails out under nothing but the letter 'E'; there's not even a gendered username attached like there is here. Had I told him out and out that I was a girl, you'd be perfectly right to call me hypocritical. But I was just myself. It was his assumption that made the whole thing so horribly awkward...

Which is what I meant by needing to be more careful. I have to be more up front about these things in future. Even if gender means almost nothing to me, I've realised how important it is to a lot of others...

[Fer!]

You are really slow.

Tablet PC Style '

[Tanthias]

Tablet PC Style '

Wait, I thought you said you weren't gonna use that...

edit: Something happen to your keyboard, or did you simply have a change of heart?

[Fer!]

Switching back to Desktop .

[polobunny]

But I was just being me. I never said I was a girl. I never said I was a boy, either, but it was his assumption. My account mails out under nothing but the letter 'E'; there's not even a gendered username attached like there is here. Had I told him out and out that I was a girl, you'd be perfectly right to call me hypocritical. But I was just myself. It was his assumption that made the whole thing so horribly awkward...

Which is what I meant by needing to be more careful. I have to be more up front about these things in future. Even if gender means almost nothing to me, I've realised how important it is to a lot of others...

Ahh true, misinterpreted you over there. More up front is probably the good thing to do, so people who could/already like you don't get surprised at some point if gender matters to them.
But damn, how could people not like you, you're pretty easy to live with as far as I know.

[Tanthias]

Switching back to Desktop .

Cool. It seems like the only thing the tablet would be good for is drawing in MS Paint or something.

[polobunny]

Cool. It seems like the only thing the tablet would be good for is drawing in MS Paint or something.

I bet there's more tablet-enhanced applications than MS paint available somewhere.